Currently in a Windows type environment, a user is limited to having only one communication application active. This limitation stems from the communication driver which can only connect one communication application to the communication port at any given time. Accordingly, when trying to activate more than one communication application, the communications port is busy and the communications application will not open properly. Therefore, communication applications must be repeatedly closed and launched as the various packages are utilized, rather than remaining active as an icon (as those terms are understood in the computer industry).
This limitation associated with the communication driver also presents drawbacks when waiting for incoming calls. Since only one communication application can utilize the communications port at any given time, in the past it has been virtually impossible for various communications applications (e.g., dealing with voice, fax, and data) to receive incoming calls and have the call routed to the appropriate application. Some "same vendor" applications do have some capability in this regard. However, this requires that each application be purchased from the same vendor, regardless of the needs, familiarity, and desires of the user. It will be appreciated that in many instances, the user may be more productive having several different vendor application packages (and/or same vendor application packages which do not provide sharing of the communications port).
Additionally, when utilizing direct connections to the modem to run conferencing type programs, again only one application is allowed to use the port so that the autodialing or other application must give up the port prior to launching the conferencing type program.
Therefore, there arises a need for a virtual modem driver which is capable of interfacing with a plurality of communications applications, direct incoming calls to the proper voice, fax, and data communications applications, and provide a direct connect to the modem when utilizing certain conferencing type communications applications. The present invention directly addresses and overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.